Plans for new 136-home estate on former quarry proceed to consultation
Plans for a major residential development at the former Maxwell's Spittal Hill Quarry on Bushmills Road, Coleraine, have moved to a public consultation stage after the local authority confirmed the submission met statutory requirements.
The scheme, described in a Pre-Application Notification (PAN) lodged earlier this year, proposes a 136-dwelling development known as the Lakeside Residential Development. Causeway Coast & Glens Council said on 23 July that the PAN had satisfied the necessary criteria and the application is now open for consultation ahead of consideration by the council's Planning Committee.
A Design and Access Statement submitted with the PAN sets out the applicant's intentions for the site at 209 Bushmills Road. The document says the development will include public open space, landscaping, a new internal road network, access from Bushmills Road, parking and associated ancillary works.
"The purpose of this project is to deliver a high quality residential development which helps to meet the high demand for affordable housing in the Coleraine area."
The proposal also responds to identified local housing need, the statement adds. It specifies the mix of dwellings would comprise social housing alongside private and affordable homes. The application material states the scheme will deliver 65 social dwellings and 71 private and affordable dwellings, with social housing provided as a mix of terraced houses, apartments (including wheelchair-accessible apartments), bungalows and houses.
- Total dwellings proposed: 136
- Social dwellings: 65
- Private and affordable dwellings: 71
- Site: former Maxwell's Spittal Hill Quarry, 209 Bushmills Road, Coleraine
The PAN submission notes that the scheme will connect into the existing road network within the wider Lakeside development and will adopt a previously approved road layout that already contains established services. The design team says the overarching objective is to "create a scheme which responds in a creative manner to the positive aspects of the local context and provide a quality residential development which meets the significant housing demand in Coleraine."
| Element | Number |
|---|---|
| Total dwellings | 136 |
| Social housing | 65 |
| Private/affordable | 71 |
The proposal will now be considered by the council's Planning Committee following the consultation period. Local residents, amenity groups and statutory consultees will have the opportunity to comment while the application is assessed against local planning policy and any relevant environmental, traffic and design considerations.
For Coleraine, the plans touch on several local priorities. The inclusion of a sizeable social housing element responds to housing need identified by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, according to the application documents. At the same time, the development's scale and its location on a former quarry site will prompt scrutiny of transport access, services capacity, landscape impact and the delivery of public open space.
Adopting an existing road layout and tying into established services are highlighted by the applicant as measures intended to reduce disruption and integrate the new homes with the wider Lakeside area. The planning committee will need to weigh those factors alongside representations submitted during the consultation as it decides whether to grant planning permission.
Further details on the planning documentation and how to make representations are available through Causeway Coast & Glens Council's planning portal while the application is live for consultation.
